Many varieties of fruit-flavored traditional Korean alcohols are on display at the booth for the Traditional Liquor Research & Development Institute at the Jarasum Makgeolli Festival in Gapyeong, Aug. 31. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

By Jon Dunbar

Earlier this month, makgeolli aficionados descended on Jaraseom in Gapyeong, east of Seoul, for the third Jaraseom Makgeolli Festival held Friday, Aug. 31 to Sunday, Sept. 2, held by the Korean Makgeolli Association.

A couple dozen makgeolli brewers managed booths and gave out samples, including Kooksoondang, Joeun Sul and Sejong Brewing. Some private brewers were also there, as well as the Traditional Liquor Research & Development Institute.

"I had fun catching up with industry people and regular makgeolli lovers and of course, the BBQ and boozing all night was fun," she told The Korea Times. "Also, the DJ and dance party at night was fun too! I was surprised to see the older crowds were all grooving and dancing to the beat!"

Chun, who got into the traditional Korean alcohol industry three years ago, runs her own company called Soy and Rice, which offers programs such as tasting classes, pairing events and trading. This was her second time at the festival.

The festival was set up with a loop of booths within the park grounds of Jaraseom. The commercial brewers set up on one side near the big stage, while the far side had food vendors and miscellaneous other stands, including the R&D institute. A line of food trucks sat in the middle, a welcome addition to this year's festival. People who drank too much had tents where they could lie down to sleep off the drunken haze.

The crowd at the festival was diverse, ranging from groups of middle-aged and elderly patrons to younger families, kids in tow. Despite being a liquor festival, the event had kid-friendly elements, including activities, games and a wide selection of non-alcoholic foods and drinks. And mascots wandered around in makgeolli bottle costumes entertaining the children. Also, three separate stages kept live music going at all times, ranging between acoustic and foreign folk to loud guitar rock and K-pop idol groups.

But some attendees remarked on the lack of premium artisan brewers at this year's festival, likely due to a decreased budget.

"The market demand for traditional liquor is gradually decreasing as can be seen through the media and statistics," said Kim Gil-hyun, a spokesman for Kooksoondang.

Ever since a surge in popularity earlier this decade, especially due to a temporary fad in Japan around 2011, the traditional Korean liquor market and makgeolli have been shrinking.

But that's not to spell the end of Korea's brewing traditions. The fewer people are feeling increasingly passionate about increasingly sophisticated traditional alcohols.

"These premium traditional liquors are not a drink for capturing and taking consumers with much improved design and flavor compared to traditional liquors, but they are in a different market from the mainstream," Kim said.

Kooksoondang engages in the Project for Reviving Traditional Korean Wines, conducting historical research to uncover and revive lost methods and recipes, as well as modern-day market research. Since 2008 Kooksoondang has revived 24 types of traditional alcoholic beverages, including makgeolli.

Chun also is optimistic about the ongoing development of makgeolli although its short shelf life is a challenge.

"Certain brands with no aspartame are growing as more people are aware of the variety of makgeolli and their palate is becoming more sophisticated," she said.

She says for traditional alcohol, including makgeolli, to grow, it needs to step beyond tradition and embrace what's distinctly Korean, whether that means contemporary or ancient.